title: Field evaluation of willow under short rotation coppice for phytomanagement of metal-polluted agricultural soils.
abstract: Short rotation coppice (SRC) of willow and poplar might be a promising phytoremediation option since it uses fast growing, high biomass producing tree species with often a sufficient metal uptake. This study evaluates growth, metal uptake and extraction potentials of eight willow clones (Belders, Belgisch Rood, Christina, Inger, Jorr, Loden, Tora and Zwarte Driebast) on a metal-contaminated agricultural soil, with total cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) concentrations of 6.5 +/- 0.8 and 377 +/- 69 mg kg(-1) soil, respectively. Although, during the first cycle, on average generally low productivity levels (3.7 ton DM (dry matter) ha(-1) y(-1)) were obtained on this sandy soil, certain clones exhibited quite acceptable productivity levels (e.g. Zwarte Driebast 12.5 ton DM ha(-1) y(-1)). Even at low biomass productivity levels, SRC of willow showed promising removal potentials of 72 g Cd and 2.0 kg Zn ha(-1) y(-1), which is much higher than e.g. energy maize or rapeseed grown on the same soil Cd and Zn removal can be increased by 40% if leaves are harvested as well. Nevertheless, nowadays the wood price remains the most critical factor in order to implement SRC as an acceptable, economically feasible alternative crop on metal-contaminated agricultural soils.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Applied Ecochemistry, Ghent University, Coupure Links, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Slycken
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Witters
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meiresonne
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meers
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruttens
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Peteghem
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weyens
authors.forename: Filip M G
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Tack
authors.forename: Jaco
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vangronsveld
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D001530:Belgium; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018533:Biomass; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D018547:Plant Stems; D032107:Populus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012399:Rotation; D032108:Salix / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014934:Wood; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D015032:Zinc